Transcription factors (TFs) are proteins that bind to specific bases of DNA to carry out the process of transcription. TFs play a major role in the process of transferring sequential information from DNA to RNA to protein. Thus, mapping TF binding sites becomes crucial in understanding the regulatory circuits that control cellular processes, such as cell division and differentiation as well as metabolic and physiological balance. Currently practiced techniques like chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) are well established in TF binding site mapping.
In the recent years, single molecule techniques have a major contribution in the process of getting some insights on details at the molecular scale, which in general are not feasible with ensemble experiments. Various research groups have tried and reported TF binding site mapping using single molecule techniques like optical tweezers, atomic force microscopy, molecular combing etc.